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Fishing boat build

In my world of the never ending land of projects, I have decided to tear into my fishing boat. I picked this boat up extremely cheap over the summer. The boat needed a ton of motor tuning, electrical work, the bottom end was apart and the previous owner backed it into something breaking the tail off. I finally got the motor running, idling, and shifting properly, and all the the broken parts welded back together. I had no plans of doing anything else but since I love projects I tore the boat apart over this weekend.

My build plans are: new floor and carpet. Shave the 25 hp motor badges off and stick on 20 hp badges so I can cruise most fishing lakes legal, Bimini top, new live well seat cover, clean up dashboard...

the day I brought her home.

Took the boat out a couple of times on Loyalhanna Lake for shakedown runs. Got her all tuned in! The layout is killer and the boat is super stable with the tri hull design.

The floor was soft. The floor was soft enough that you HAD to wear shoes or your heel would poke threw the old plywood, I think the carpet was all that was holding it together. I ripped out the old shit and noticed that the last guy just sheethed over the original flooring. Although original floor was fragile the stringers seem to be somewhat solid, so I’m going over it just like the last guy with treated 3/4” plywood and outdoor carpet. It should be just fine for fishing.

The Tracker is really close. I am sewing up a custom rag top with rear window and then she goes in for state inspection. Once the weather breaks I will be driving it. If it we’re summer I would be more motivated to get it finished.

I miss my little 12 footer fishing boat with a 9.9 (well kt "technically" was a 15, but i had a 9.9 engine cover and vin tag on it, still have a spare of each somewhere for a Johnson/Evenrude). Scary in the Pittsburgh Pool on the Allegeny (ever felt like you just pulled into a monster truck rally in an Omni?). As long as you got solid stringers and transem, your in.

I never went on the rivers dawn tawn, I would imagine it being really scary on a 12’ boat. My yacht is a no longer sea worthy 12’ sears gamefisher with a trolling motor of the same vintage. Most of my trips have been places you don’t typically see anything with a motor (yough river, kiski river, etc.). I always wanted to make a jet ski powered Jon Boat but never actually did it, I even had a seadoo hx ready to be hacked up and everything...

I got the 25 HP emblems all shaved and a fresh coat of paint on the engine. Now I’m just looking for a chrome 20 hp badge that has similar matching patina so it doesn’t look out of place next to the Chrysler badge. I found a few “ChevyVan20” fender badges on eBay, the 20 looks like it may work. I may have to but the billet and just pay sucker price for one to check the motor off my project list.

I have been looking for a new prop and I finally scored a new old stock prop on eBay. The current propellor was pretty beat up, I’m hoping this will add a few more horses

I got the new 3/4” treated plywood installed. It’s not pretty but it will work for the 3times a year I take the boat out. It feels so much ch better to walk on. The original floor was like playing the floor is LAVA, jumping around from seat to seat.

Bought a carpet remnant for a low dollar price, I wasn’t thrilled with the green color but it doesn’t look half bad next to the tan/white boat. It’s not marine grade but it is exterior grade carpet. It’s close enough in my book.

Next step is I’m recovering the center seat cushion and making a Bimini top. The top frame is going to be made of 3/4 steel conduit and some Amazon Bimini top replacement parts. I bought enough fabric to make the seat and Bimini top, I just have to learn how to sew it. Figured there’s no time than now to learn to sew. The top should cost me half the price of buying one, which I’m all about. My dads steel conduit bender is so slick(blue 3’ bar in the picture)i definitely reccoment it for small projects.

I hit it pretty hard over The Weeknd. The tracker shit the bed so I guess I needed something to get my mind off of it.

I got the center consol mounted up with a new aluminum dashboard cover.

I supercharged my wife’s sewing machine with a little help from the World Wide Web and now it can sew thicker UV resistant thread, and I started sewing up the center console live well seat cover.

I also got all the framework made for the Bimini top and started sewing up the cover. I should have ordered an extra yard of material but this is the Proto type so I’ll get it correct in the next run. I really wish I had a bimini top to copy off of I was just using pictures from the Internet. There is about 6 foot of standing room underneath the top.

The top is pretty close. I barely had enough material so hopefully the loops for the frame poles will slide through for assembly. Like I said Proto type so it’s close enough,I’ll fix any mistakes in the remodel.

I would imagine it being really scary on a 12’ boat. My yacht is a no longer sea worthy 12’ sears more with a trolling motor of the same vintage. Most of my trips have been places you don’t typically see anything with a motor (yough river, kiski river, etc.). I always wanted to make a jet ski powered Jon Boat but never actually did it

I finally got the boat out today on its maiden voyage on Yough Lake. A little fishing and a little cruise around. The new propellor didn't make a damn bit of difference, I guess the boat is just slow and I have to live with that. But the Bimini top was the tits with that high octane sun! Im pretty happy I decided to fix up the broken and bring the boat back with a new life. Now to just make the time to fish and enjoy.